Rosary entity



W. F. GODDARD ROSARY ENTITY Filed NQV. 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'o ful mysieries sorrowful mysteries; m doy l6 b'dck 29 tuqsduy 3o rfednesdoy 81'. PETER ROSARY "How T0 PRAY THE ROSARY fen our hollmorys and rosary father on may so o honolproyers |Lhrele 01 "ten hojlmorys m%r F 6.2 father 1 'lb ve In 0 e c." hoi l rm lorys begin here 50y the glory be to the fqther, etc." after each group of hOll morys v INVENTOR.

Nov. 17, 1959 w. F. GODDARD I 2,912,770

- ROSARY ENTITY Filed Nov. 6; 195'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F was INVENTOR. FIG.8 4O 42 24 FIG-7 Williamf-TGoddurd 39 1 M4 $3M H5: 39 43 Try ROSARY ENTITY William F.Goddard, Qlney,Md., assignor to The St. Peter vRosary Company, a corporation of Maryland Application November 6, 1957, Serial No. 694,816 10 Claims. c1. 35-23 This invention isv a rosary entity including instructive information on How. to pray the rosary, simulated beads for the prayers of the rosary, includingthe Our Father, the Hail Maryand Glory Be to the Father, etc., and also. including the'iFive Joyful Mysteries, theFive Sorrowful Mysteries and the Five Glorious Mysteries, with .the names of the. days appropriate for the recitation of these mysteries.

..-Amohg,the objects of this invention are the utilization of card-like elements which. contain all of the information above recited, as well as the simulated beads of the rosary, the. elements beingrelatively movable for selective positioning of the beads between the fingers'of the user; to provide a relatively flat rosaryentityor unit which may be conveniently. carried between'the pages of an ordinary book or magazine, as well as in any average/size pocket of male or female.wearinggapparel; tolprovidea rosary unit which-may be made of any :suitable material, such as plastic ormetal and comprises but two movablyconnectedparts; and to .provide arosary unit in which. the beads'may be selectively v operated from one :position to another and retained in this selectedposition .until the prayer of the: .particularabeadhasbeen completed, at which time thelnext. adjac'ent'beadis moved, through clockwise rotation of one of the parts, intothe position just vacated by the aforesaid bead and automatically retained in this position until it is desired to bring the next head into positionof use between the fingers. "I

Other objects of the inventionwill be manifest from the following description of the present preferred forms of the'invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,wherein':

Fig. 1 is a front plan view of a rosaryentity constructed in 'accordancevwith the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows;

Big. 4 is a front plan. view of a modifiedform ofthe present .inve ntion,a part thereof being broken away -to disclose'details of construction; l Fig. 5 is a sectional view takenalong theline 55 of Fig. 6 is a front plan view of a further modification of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is asectional view taken along the lines 7--7 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 7 showing a modified form of construction;

Referring now to the form of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the present device generally comprises afsubstantially rectangular cardltl to the outer face ofwhich'is rotatably connected at 11, a circular card 12, the outerperiphery of which is spaced fromthe margins of card 10. Cards 10 and 12 may be made 'of any suitable material and thickness, optimum results being obtained by use of plastic, 'heavy cardboard or metal approximately .02 inch thick.

2,912,770 Patented Nov. 17 1959 The present device is designedto simulate a rosary and, accordingly, card 10 is provided with a crucifix 13 which may be imprinted or in relief. Adjacent crucifix- 13 are a plurality of oblong protuberances14 and round protuberances 15 simulating the beads of the rosary on which the Our Father and HailgMary respectively are recited. -As shown to advantage in Fig. 3, these procard 12, with the exception of segments 19 and 23, there tuberances are preferably struck up from card 10. In

further simulation of the rosary, a'medal16, either imprinted or in relief, is conventionally located'adjacent an oblong protuberance 14 from which medal extends the representation of a pair of chains 17 which extend to the outer periphery of rotatable card 12. Adjacent chains 17 is an arrowhead 18 for marking the particular bead on card 12 which is being said.

Card 12is'divided into five segments designated 19, 20, 21, 22 and '23, corresponding to the five decades of the rosary. Adjacent the outer edge of each segment are ten round protuberances or beads 24 on each of which a Hail Mary" is recited. Betweenadjacent segments of are located oblong protuberances or beads 25, simulating the beads on which the'Our Father is recited. Pro-E tuberances 24 and 25 are formed from struck up portions ma'de in card 12 thereby producing a circular row of recesses 26 adjacent the peripheral edge of card 12. A

chain 17-is imprinted on card 12 between the beads and extends to chains 17 on card 10. r In order to retain circular card 12 at the desired location'in its cycle of rotation, rectangular card 10 is pro vided with one or more protuberances 27 disposed subjacent card 12 'and'lying in the path of recesses 26 formed by protuberances 24 and 25. For facility'in operation, protuberance 27 is located adjacent the marginal edge of card 10, remote from crucifix. Thus, as card 12 is ro-' tated, protuberance 27 successively engages recesses 26 to signify to the user that the particular head on which the next prayer is to be said, is opposite arrowhead 18, thereby obviating the necessity of visually-examining the rosary and preventing accidental rotation of card 12. Y Y

' It is furthermore within the contemplation of the present invention to provide instructive information on both thefront and back faces: of the rosary entity so that a novice can, in a few minutes time, learn how to properly recite therosary. For this purpose, there is imprinted on the front face of card 10, instructional data-relative to the days of the week on which the various mysteries of the rosary are recited. Thus, in the upper left hand corner 28, this information is given for the Joyful'Mysteries ofthe rosary; in the upper right hand corner 29,

this information is given for the Sorrowful Mysteries of Referring again to Fig. 1, the five segments of card 12 bear indicia respectively indicated at 31, 32, 33, 34and 35 related to the informational data at the corners 28, 29 and 30of card 10. 'Indicia 31,-in segment 19 comprises the first mystery of each of the three mysteries of the rosary, namely, Annunciation, Agony in Garden,-

andResurrection. These words are'printed in different colors, corresponding to the color code which identifies the particular set of mysteries to which'the three mysteries in the segment belong. For example, the word Annuncia; tion is printed in blue to indicate that it is one of the Joyful Mysteries; Agony in Garden is printed in black to identify it as g ne. ofthe Sorrowful Mysteries; and,

Resurrection is printed in red to identify it as one of the Glorious Mysters. This format is carried out throughout the remaining four segments of card 12.

In Fig. 2, there is illustrated the back face of card on which is imprinted the representation of a rosary designated 36, together with instructional data on How to pray the Rosary. This data includes the manner of following the beads of the rosary and what prayers are to be recited at each point along the length of the rosary.

In actual use of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, reference may be first made to the back face of card 10, after which the card is turned over, reference is made to the data in corners 28, 29 and 30 to determine the set of mysteries to be said for the rosary, and the initial prayers are recited. The card is preferably held with the thumb superimposed on card 12 at a point adjacent arrowhead 18. The card is then rotated in a clockwise direction until protuberance 27 engages a recess 26 to retain a bead in alignment with arrowhead 18 while the appropriate prayer is recited. After this, card 12 is again rotated until the next adjacent bead moves into the position just vacated by the aforesaid bead. This procedure is followed until the rosary is completely said, reference being made periodically to the indicia within the five segments of the card 12 to determine the mystery to be recited for each decade.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, parts of the rosary entity similar to parts illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 are designated by primed numbers. In this form of the invention, instead of employing the rotatable card illustrated in Fig. 1, a circular card 37, having a thickened concentric portion 38 is used. This portion 38 is of smaller diameter than card 37 and serves to make card 37 more rigid. This, in turn, insures retention of protuberance 27 in recesses 26', especially where relatively flexible material is used for the cards. Operation of this form of the invention is the same as that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3.

In Figs. 6 and 7 there is illustrated still another form of the invention, operating on the same principle as the two previous forms, but wherein, instead of placing the circular row of protuberances or beads 24" on a rotatable card, these members are circularly arranged in the rectangular card designated 39. Superimposed on card 39 and rotatably connected thereto at 11 is a transparent disk 40 constructed of plastic or other suitable material, at the outer peripheral edge of which is affixed a pointer 41 adapted to successively mark the beads upon rotation of disk'40. The underside of disk 40 is provided with one or more recesses 42 located near the peripheral edge thereof and lying in the path of beads 24 and for retaining a selected bead in position in the manner of the two other forms of the present invention.

It is also within the contemplation of this invention, as shown in Fig. 8, to superimpose an actual rosary 43 on the card 39, embedding the beads of the rosary in said card and providing an opening or a series of openings in the transparent disk 40 to permit engagement of the beads by the user for selective recitation of said beads.

While I have herein described the present preferred embodiments of my invention, it is nevertheless to be undrstood that various changes may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. A rotary entity including a pair of contiguous cardlike elements rotatably connected, simulated rosary beads protruding from one face of one of said elements, the opposite face of the latter element having a recess at the locus of each bead, and a protuberance formed on the other of the rosary elements adapted for selective positioning in said recess of the first said element when one card-like element is rotated by the user.

2. A rosary entity including a fiat body having protuberances simulating rosary beads and corresponding to the number of beads on a rosary, and a second body superimposed on the first body and rotatably connected thereto, said second body having one or more recesses adapted for the selective reception of the protuberances when the second body is rotated.

3. A rosary entity including a pair of rotatably connected contiguous card-like elements, a rosary interposed between said elements, and embedded in the face of one of said elements, the other of said elements being provided with an opening at the locus of the beads for selective recitation of the rosary beads by the user.

4. A rosary entityincluding a pair of superimposed contiguous card-like elements rotatably connected, a plurality of members simulating rosary beads struck from one face of one of said card-like elements, a corresponding number of recesses on the opposite face of said cardlike element and a member struck from one face of said other card-like element adapted for selective engagement with the recesses on said first card-like element, to retain the card-like elements in predetermined positions during recitation of selected prayers.

5. A rosary entity as set out in claim 4 wherein the number of members on the first card-like element corresponds to the number of beads on a rosary and the members are arranged in a circle, said card-like elements being divided into five segments, each comprising ten members and identifying a Mystery of the rosary.

6. A rosary entity including a lower stationary cardlike element, an upper card-like element superimposed on said lower card-like element and rotatably connected thereto in contiguous relationship, protuberances corresponding to the number of beads on a rosary struck up from the upper face of said upper card-like element in a circular pattern, a corresponding number of recesses in the underface of said upper card-like element, one or more protuberances on the upper face of said lower stationary card-like element positioned to selectively eugage the recesses in the underface of said upper cardlike element, to retain the card-like elements in predetermined positions during recitation of selected prayers.

7. A rosary entity, as set out in claim 6, wherein the protuberances comprise circular and oblong elements strategically positioned in a predetermined manner.

8. A rosary entity, as set out in claim 6, with the addition of a concentric portion fixed to said upper cardlike element to increase the rigidity thereof.

9. A rosary entity including a pair of superimposed contiguous card-like elements rotatably connected, one of the elements having hollow protuberances disposed in a circle simulating and corresponding to the number of beads on a rosary, and complemental means carried by the other of said card-like elements for selectively engaging the hollow protuberances of the first card-like element upon relative rotation of the elements to predetermined positions.

10. A rosary entity including a pair of flat superimposed contiguous card-like elements rotatably connected, a plurality of protuberances simulating rosary beads struck from one face of one of said card-like elements, the proximate face of the other of said card-like elements being provided with a recess strategically located to selectively engage the protuberances of said first cardlike element.

References Cited in the file of this patent OTHER REFERENCES 1,324,524 Silver -p. Dec, 9, 1919 1,938,727 Tammany Dec. 12, 1933 2,213,516 Beehan Sept. 3, 1940 2,376,266 Moore May 15, 1945 2,461,130 SZaj Feb. 8, 1949 2,485,191 Culver a Oct. 18, 1949 2,677,901 Tilleman May 11, 1954 2,717,737 Hoelscher Sept. 13, 1955 2,730,816 Garrett Jan. 17, 6 

